七しち十じゅう古こ希き

expression

few people live to be seventy

A classical Chinese expression from Du Fu's poem, used to reflect on the rarity of reaching age seventy. In modern Japanese, it is a literary or proverbial phrase, not used in everyday conversation.

• 「七しち十じゅう古こ希き」という言こと葉ばは、杜と甫ほの詩しに由ゆ来らいする。

  The phrase '七十古希' comes from a poem by Du Fu.

• 祖そ父ふは七しち十じゅう古こ希きを実じっ感かんしているようだ。

  My grandfather seems to feel the truth of the saying that few live to be seventy.